Private guided touring in Moscow and St. Petersburg bookend a luxurious 6-night cruise on the Volga River.

Experience the best Russia has to offer such as fairy tale castles, vodka, caviar, Tolstoy and centuries past on this unique voyage. Discover this distinguished country’s epic history, amazing architecture and captivating culture while traveling on the elegant MS Volga Dream I. Cruise through peaceful rivers, canals and lakes in classic 5* style as you enjoy the plethora of amenities available onboard this sophisticated ship. Disembark for fascinating shore excursions and guided tours of historic Yaroslavl, Goritsy, Vytegra, Kizhi and Mandrogi. Passengers feel like they’re traveling thought time as they explore Moscow and St. Petersburg with the luxury of their own private expert guide. Tour the enchanting palaces, cathedrals, squares, museums and monuments that make that make these metropolises two of the most legendary cities in the world. See the majestic Kremlin, Red Square, Lenin’s tomb, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Novodevichi Monastery, Tretyakov Gallery, Nevsky Prospect, Hermitage Museum, St. Isaac Cathedral and more!

Day 1:Moscow

Meet your private driver and transportation for an airport transfer. An assistant is provided for your comfort.

We will provide you with a letter of Invitation for your Russian Visa. Once payment has been received, the letter along with other important documents will be sent to you.

A welcome package with a city map, train tickets (if relevant), and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

Accommodation: Peter 1 (4*)

Peter 1 Hotel is located in the historical and cultural centre of the city, within walking distance from the Red Square and the Cathedral of Christ of the Saviour. The Big Theatre, State Duma, Manezhnaya Square as well as the State Tretjakov Gallery are some of the major attractions near the property. The hotel is housed in a six-story building and was constructed in the late XIX century. In 2005-2006 the hotel was totally renovated, and today is considered to be a modern hotel of the highest quality, while effortlessly combining its historical vestiges.

Moscow

Peter 1 Hotel

Day 2:Moscow

Enjoy a full day private guided city tour of Moscow. During this tour you will get to see the panorama of the Kremlin from the Sophiskaya Embankment, Lubyanka Square, Tverskaya Street, Christ The Saviour Cathedral, New Arbat Street, The White House of Russia and Victory Park, St. Basil's Cathedral, Kremlin Walks, Lenin Mausoleum, Alexandrovsky Garden, Manezh Square, and later there will be a chance for some shopping. Tour the Kremlin, the city´s former military fortification, a palace, an armory, the sovereign treasury, and the workplace of the Russian President. The Armory Palace features weaponry, imperial regalia, and unique art. Entrance fees inside the Kremlin Walls and Armory Chamber are included.

Accommodation: Peter 1 (4*)

Kremlin

Day 3:Moscow - Volga Cruise

Meet your private driver and transportation for a port transfer. An assistant is provided for your comfort.

You will be welcomed on board in the best Russian traditions by women in local dress who will bring you good luck with Russian Bread & Salt. Enjoy a Russian vodka as well as a glass of champagne and snacks. You wil also receive a welcome fresh fruit basket in your cabin.

Fuel Surcharge is included in the cruise cost.

Accommodation: MS Volga Dream I (6N)

The Volga Dream I made her maiden voyage in June 2007. The ship carries 109 passengers and has 56 comfortable cabins each, regardless of its category, having either a window (Sun Deck, Promenade Deck, Main Deck) or porthole (Cabin Deck), and is equipped with air conditioning, mini-bar, safe deposit box, telephone, flat screen TV offering international satellite TV programs, as well as various radio and music channel options. On board there is a Lounge, Hair Salon, Gift Shop, and a Library (with two computers connected to the Internet), Sun Deck, Laundry Service and a Ship Safe. Wireless internet is available on the sun deck while dial up is available in the cabins. The on board fitness center includes a stationary bike, running track, and rowing machine. Massages and a sauna are also available to guests.There are various different categories of cabins to choose from.

Volga River

MS Volga Dream

Day 4:Uglich - Volga Cruise

During your multi day cruise, you will enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner each full day of your cruise, as well as afternoon tea. There is also a 24 hour coffee station that you are welcome to help yourself to. House wine, draft beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner are also included as well as bottled water in your cabin and on your shared shore excursons. In the evenings, enjoy live piano entertainment.

Enjoy a walking tour of Uglich - one of the Golden Ring cities. On your tour, visit the Chapel of Dimitry, a 17th-century architectural treasure built on the site where Ivan the Terrible’s young son met his death. Visit the five-domed Church of the Transfiguration, noted for its beautiful iconostasis, and enjoy a concert of choral music.

Take in the majesty of the panoramic river view from the comfort of a leather armoire in the elegant wood-paneled lounge. Cocktails, champagne and stunning concerts from the onboard professional pianist take place here every evening whilst during the day you are welcome to avail of the complimentary afternoon tea served from an authentic Russian samovar. Meanwhile in the peaceful library you can pick up a book to read, challenge a friend to a game of chess or bridge and take advantage of the internet access point to keep in touch with friends and family back home.

Enjoy afternoon tea on board.

Accommodation: MS Volga Dream I (6N)

Dining on Board

Babushka dolls

Day 5:Yaroslavl - Volga Cruise

Yaroslavl is the oldest city on the Volga River, and was unharmed during World War II, and many churches from the 13th to 17th centuries are intact. See the Savior Transfiguration Monastery, adorned with murals depicting Saint John’s apocalyptic visions. Visit the 17th century Church of Elijah the Prophet with its most prized asset – frescoes painted by renowned artists of ancient Russia. Visit a colorful farmer’s market to sample the fruit and buy local foods before returning to your vessel.

Get the most rich experience possible during your cruise by learning about the Russian cultures and traditions. To get around Russia you really need to know the Cyrillic alphabet. With this in mind, you will have the opportunity to learn how to read Russian words and how to sing some famous Russian songs with the onboard Cruise Director. Throughout the trip, a number of Oscar winning Russian films such as Doctor Zhivago and War and Peace on your private flat screen TV will be available for you to view. If you plan on buying some souvenirs but are concerned with knowing what is good and what is bad, have a listen to the Russian Fine Arts and crafts Expert that will be introduced to you who will tell you all the secrets of traditional Russian crafts and show you how to care for them. Have some fun in the kitchen with a number of cooking classes on baord and learn some traditional Russian recipes and insider tricks. You can learn more about the Russian tsars and Russia's turbulent imperial history whilst watching the award-winning BBC documentary on our big screen In Russia there’s nothing more traditional than vodka and you will be taught how to enjoy our national drink the authentic way.

Enjoy afternoon tea on board.

Accommodation: MS Volga Dream I (6N)

Colorful Interior of a Cathedral

Russian traditional dancers

Day 6:Goritsy - Volga Cruise

Sail today on the White Lake, once known as the “czar’s fishing grounds.” Dock in Goritsy and tour the Kirillov Belozersky Monastery, founded by the hermit Saint Cyril. The monastery contains the 13th-century Cathedral of the Assumption, with superb frescoes.

The MS Volga Dream has a highly professional crew of 60 personnel who have years of experience of working on the Russian waterways. They take pride in their work and are delighted to show you what life is like behind the scenes on the ship. During the cruise you will have the opportunity to visit the kitchen to watch the Chef reveal the tricks of his trade, enjoy a barmen show from the professional cocktail master, meet the captain up on the bridge and go right into the heart of the ship - the engine rooms.

Enjoy afternoon tea on board.

Accommodation: MS Volga Dream I (6N)

Cruise Ship's Power Wheel

Tea Time

Day 7:Kizhi - Volga Cruise

Cruise Lake Onega to reach a tiny, picturesque Kizhy Island for a walking tour. See the open-air Museum of Architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration, an oniondomed masterpiece with twenty-two cupolas resembling something out of a Russian fairy tale. This amazing church was built without a single nail.

Enjoy afternoon tea on board.

Accommodation: MS Volga Dream I (6N)

Church of the Transfiguration

Day 8:Mandrogi - St. Petersburg - Volga Cruise

Cruise the scenic Svir River, connecting Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga. Disembark in Mandrogi to experience daily life in a quaint wooden village. You may wish to visit the local crafts’ center to see how famous “matryoshka” dolls are hand painted.

Enjoy afternoon tea on board.

Celebrate the end of your great cruise with a complimentary coktail and regale the high points of your trip with your fellow passengers!

Accommodation: MS Volga Dream I (6N)

Matryoshka the Lion Tamer

MS Volga Dream Waiter

Day 9:St. Petersburg

Port transfer with private vehicle and driver.

With a private guide and driver, set out on a panoramic tour to get acquainted with the main architectural and historical monuments of St. Petersburg. You will get to drive along the world famous "Nevsky Prospect" and view the Monastery of Alexander Nevsky with its magnificent Trinity Cathedral and its cemetery where Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky, and other world celebrities were buried. You'll have the chance to see the Hermitage Museum and the Chamber of Curiosities. Later you will drive by the Summer Garden and stop in the Field of Mars with the eternal flame and see the Cathedral on Spilled Blood. Drive through the Square of Arts with the Palace Square with the Alexander Column, the Triumphal Arch of the general Staff building, and the Winter Palace complex. Continue to visit St. Isaac's Cathedral, the fourth largest domed cathedral in the world. The Cathedral is 102 meters high and can hold up to 12,000 people and took 40 years to construct. Entrance fees to St. Isaac's Cathedral are included.

Enjoy a private guided tour of the Hermitage and admire the gems of the collection. During the tour you will see the State Rooms of the Winter Palace, a part of the collection of paintings of Old Masters and other exciting exhibits and works of art. Value the splendour of the Gala stairway, Peter's Memorial Hall, the Armorial Hall, the Gallery of 1812 with its numerous portraits, the Pavilion Hall and its various amusements, and other gala rooms. You are sure to enjoy the works of applied arts, precious items and paintings. The collection of Western European art, numbering over 600,000 items, is considered to be one of the finest in the world. It presents all the stages of the development of art from the Middle Ages to the present. Enjoy masterpieces by outstanding Western European artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giorgione, Titian, Michelangelo, Francisco de Goya, Renoir, and Picasso. You will have an opportunity to see such world-famous masterpieces as works by Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. Admire the richest collection of ancient and early medieval items, works of art from Ancient Greece and Rome, fabulous treasures of oriental culture, and wonderful European art. Entrance fees to the Hermitage Museum and transport is included.

Choose between one of the various evening entertainment options St. Petersburg has to offer: performances at the Marinsky theater, folklore show in Nikolaevskey palace, a show at the famous Circus, or a river cruise, combined with a folklore show. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you are interested in adding a show to your itinerary during your time in St. Petersburg.

Accommodation: Ambassador (4*)

The Ambassador Hotel is located in the historic centre of St. Petersburg and is only a seven minute walk away from Sadovaya Underground Station. St. Isaac and St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Yusupov Gardens are all in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. The hotel building is a unique complex that combines an architectural monument of the 19th century and a modern building. All rooms are decorated in tranquil pastel shades with comfortable furniture upholstered in elegant fabrics and luxurious curtains. Bathrooms are equipped with big mirrors and some are decorated with mosaic. All the rooms have a beautiful view of the historic city centre, cozy courtyard or Rimsky-Korsakov avenue.

St. Petersburg

Ambassador Hotel

Day 10:St. Petersburg

Take a full day tour to Pushkin, originally named Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar's Village), famous for the marvelous Catherine Palace and park. The town, also known as Pushkin, in honour of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, was the main summer residence of the royal family. The collection of the palace includes a large number of precious works of art, such as furniture, porcelain, statues, and canvases, including personal belongings of Russian emperors and members of their families. Visit one of the most remarkable interiors of Catherine Palace, the Amber Room. Your private guide will tell the story of the consturuction of Catherine Palace and about the tragic moments in the palace's history, connected with the Nazi occupation during World War II. Continue with the summer residences of the Royal family, Peterhof. The world-famous palace, fountain, and park are an outstanding landmark of Russian artistic culture of the 18th-19th centuries. After the tour you will return to your hotel. Entrance fees to Peterhof Palace are included.

Accommodation: Ambassador (4*)

Catherine Palace

Day 11:St. Petersburg

Meet your private vehicle and transportation for an airport transfer.

Accommodation:

We can customize this private tour just for you. Any element can be tailored – activities, length, hotels and destinations. Call us at 1 888 903-2001 or request a quote.

Trip Terms & Conditions

Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $350). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.

Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of 30% of program price. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to loss of 100% of program price.

Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary

Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.

Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.

Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.kensingtontours.com/terms-and-conditions

Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

Peter 1 (4*): Moscow

Peter 1 Hotel is located in the historical and cultural centre of the city, within walking distance from the Red Square and the Cathedral of Christ of the Saviour. The Big Theatre, State Duma, Manezhnaya Square as well as the State Tretjakov Gallery are some of the major attractions near the property. The hotel is housed in a six-story building and was constructed in the late XIX century. In 2005-2006 the hotel was totally renovated, and today is considered to be a modern hotel of the highest quality, while effortlessly combining its historical vestiges.

Peter 1 Hotel

MS Volga Dream I (6N): Volga Cruise

The Volga Dream I made her maiden voyage in June 2007. The ship carries 109 passengers and has 56 comfortable cabins each, regardless of its category, having either a window (Sun Deck, Promenade Deck, Main Deck) or porthole (Cabin Deck), and is equipped with air conditioning, mini-bar, safe deposit box, telephone, flat screen TV offering international satellite TV programs, as well as various radio and music channel options. On board there is a Lounge, Hair Salon, Gift Shop, and a Library (with two computers connected to the Internet), Sun Deck, Laundry Service and a Ship Safe. Wireless internet is available on the sun deck while dial up is available in the cabins. The on board fitness center includes a stationary bike, running track, and rowing machine. Massages and a sauna are also available to guests.There are various different categories of cabins to choose from.

MS Volga Dream

MS Volga Dream Restaurant

Ambassador (4*): St. Petersburg

The Ambassador Hotel is located in the historic centre of St. Petersburg and is only a seven minute walk away from Sadovaya Underground Station. St. Isaac and St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Yusupov Gardens are all in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. The hotel building is a unique complex that combines an architectural monument of the 19th century and a modern building. All rooms are decorated in tranquil pastel shades with comfortable furniture upholstered in elegant fabrics and luxurious curtains. Bathrooms are equipped with big mirrors and some are decorated with mosaic. All the rooms have a beautiful view of the historic city centre, cozy courtyard or Rimsky-Korsakov avenue.

We are very grateful to Alyssa Page and the other folks at Kensington tours for your work on our behalf. Everything went remarkably smoothly and your attention to detail was outstanding. I'd like to give a big shout-out to Try Norway for their in-country support--particularly their detailed itinerary that told us exactly what to expect at each transition point. The tour director for Hurtigruten Cruises said he had never seen an itinerary with such helpful detail . All in all we are very happy with Kensington and your in-country associates for helping us to have such a wonderful experience of Norway.

Carol Huerth — November 18, 2013 — Cruises

I just want to thank you for a wonderfully organized vacation and barge experience in France. We were pleased with every aspect of our vacation and will definitely recommend your company. We will also certainly recommend our exceptionally capable, pleasant guide in Paris. She was knowledgeable and fun to be with. I gave this trip a 10.

Luisa Currie — October 07, 2013 — Cruises

I just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our tour of St Petersburg. Our guide was very professional and knowledgeable yet flexible and fun. Using Kensington Tours for our shore excursions truly made our time in Russia the highlight of our vacation.

— October 07, 2013 — Cruises

I just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our tour of St Petersburg. Our guide was very professional and knowledgeable yet flexible and fun. Using Kensington tours for our shore excursions truly made out time in Russia the highlight of our vacation.

We can customize this private tour just for you. Any element can be tailored – activities, length, hotels and destinations. Call us at 1 888 903-2001 or request a quote.